A coalition of major airlines is suing the Biden administration over its new rule that requires airlines to disclose extra fees on purchases.
Trade group Airlines for America filed the lawsuit Friday along with Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, United Airlines, JetBlue Airways Corp., Hawaiian Airlines and Alaska Airlines.
Airlines for America said in a statement that the new rule “will greatly confuse consumers, who will be inundated with information that will only serve to complicate the purchasing process.” The group further noted that airline customers are already aware of the extra fees.
“Airlines go to great lengths to inform their customers about these fees. In addition to the disclosures required by existing DOT (Department of Transportation) regulations, airlines engage in competitive advertising and emphasize discounts and incidental fee benefits when promoting their loyalty programs,” the group wrote.
The group added that the rule “is a bad solution in search of a problem.”
The lawsuit was filed in the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals against the Department of Transportation, which finalized the fee disclosure rule last month in the Biden administration’s latest crackdown on so-called junk fees.
The department’s new rule requires airlines to disclose extra fees before customers make their final purchase. These extra fees may include fees for checked baggage, carry-on baggage, and changing or canceling reservations.
The Department of Transportation doubled down on its crackdown on e-waste fees in a statement to The Hill.
“We will vigorously defend our rule that protects people from hidden junk fees and ensures that travelers can see the full price of a flight before they buy a ticket. Many air travelers will be disappointed to learn that the airline lobby is suing to end these common-sense protections,” according to the statement.
This story originally appeared on thehill.com read the full story
